A Russian-born emigre by way of Hungary, who describes herself as a
"Russian-style revolutionary," Taub is the public face of public nudity
in San Francisco. The wedding shower was just a teaser for the Berkeley
resident's latest protest against the San Francisco nudity ban put into
law Feb. 1. "I always wanted to be free from body shame from the time I
was a child," she said.

Taub, who was born Oxana Chornenky, and
three other body freedom activists got themselves arrested that day in
front of City Hall, and convicted for violating the ordinance. Taub
appealed her conviction and appeared before a three-judge panel on
Friday. Before the court's decision was even rendered, Taub had
organized Sunday's protest against it. When the presiding judge
adjourned the court in order to begin deliberations, she asked if she
could make a statement.

"They said no, so I started yelling at
them," said Taub. She was still in a yelling mood when she arrived for
Sunday's protest at Jane Warner Plaza, the parklet where the F-Market
Muni streetcar makes its turnaround, at Market and Castro streets.

Taub,
44, arrived clothed and followed by her three children and new fiance
Smith, 20, who described his occupation as "a traveler." Asked how they
met, he said, "I ran into her in Montana at the Rainbow Gathering."

The comments from readers show that this sort of lunacy, at least in San Francisco, is only a bit outre.